The food additive-free diet in the treatment of behavior disorders: a review.

A food additive-free diet has been recommended as a component of the treatment of developmental/behavioral disorders in children. This diet was initially developed by Dr. Benjamin Feingold for the treatment of aspirin sensitivity in adults, and then extended by him to the management, particularly, of hyperactivity and learning disability in children. The rationale for this diet and the methods employed in investigating its use are described. The claimed therapeutic effects of this diet have been investigated in a number of well-designed studies reviewed here. These studies generally refute a causal association between food additives and behavioral disturbance in children. Suggestions are made regarding the approach towards food additive-free diet therapy in the management of developmental/behavioral disorders.